Penitente Photograph Collection

The Hermandad de Nuestro Padre Jesus el Nazareno, also known as Los Hermanos Penitentes or just the Penitentes, was an organization of Catholic lay brothers. The Penitentes, with a strong devotion to Christ, practiced acts of piety, including mortification, flagellation and cross bearing. They atoned for their sins and those of mankind. They worshiped in small, unsanctified chapels, called moradas, often located adjacent to cemeteries. A life-sized statue of Christ carrying a cross can be seen outside moradas still active today.

The order, perhaps going back as much as 400 years, flourished in isolated mountain communities in both Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. Some believe that the order began in the 19th century after Mexico‘s 1821 independence from Spain, when many clergy left the New World to return to the old. This may just be the period they gained power and came to prominence during a time when the Catholic Church was not active in the region. In the absence of official clergy, these devoted men provided for the spiritual needs of their somewhat isolated communities.

Things began to change after New Mexico became a United States territory in 1846. In 1850, the Catholic Church established a new diocese in Santa Fe (previously the diocesan seat had been in Durango, Mexico) and the groups’ practices fell into disfavor. Reportedly, Archbishop Lamy, who arrived to head the new Santa Fe Diocese in 1851 did not want to outlaw them, but he required that they practice in secret. His successor, Archbishop Salpointe, had even less tolerance and ordered the dissolution of the New Mexico Penitentes. They flourished underground many years.

They were brought back into the fold in 1947. While somewhat accepted by the Catholic Church today, they continue to practice in secret. Like many sects in contemporary times, membership is decreasing. In an effort to be more transparent, the Penitentes now offer Good Friday service to the general public.

Source: Santa Fe Travelers